The Competitor in me is Regretting This Decision

 

 

I decided to not enter any photos in the fair competition this year.

 

I know.

 

And trust me, it's not due to a lack of quality prints, because I'm sure any number of my scenic shots from Roatan would do well, along with some bridal shots I have taken, or even some senior photos. I'm just on a serious decline when it comes to photography. I have four more weddings to shoot between now and mid-September, and to be honest, if nothing else booked after that, I would be totally okay with it. I feel like it's genuinely getting in the way of......LIFE. I have some smaller trips planned for the coming weeks, school starting up for Carter, the holidays are around the corner (really, they are), and I'm in the middle of planning a dream vacation for next year. I'll be damned if shoots or weddings start messing with that trip.

 

I had the submission deadline for the fair on my calendar on my phone. Little reminders kept popping up, and I kept dismissing them, until I ultimately deleted the deadline and decided that I'm just opting out this year. It's just too much. And sure, getting prints and mounting them really isn't that big of a burden, but it's just one more thing on my plate that I don't care to think about. Maybe I'll submit next year - everything from Roatan would still be eligible per the guidelines.

 

But let me tell you, the competitor in me is HATING this decision. I love the rush of going down the day after judging to see if I had earned any ribbons. Maybe next year........and maybe it'll give me time to get back to the photography that brings me the most joy......nature, architectural stuff. Sure, no one pays me for those, but I enjoy them the most. It's the majority of what's hanging in my house and in my office. Those have done better than any portrait submission I entered at the fair anyway.